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Treatment And Symptoms PSTD


Submitted by Kevin Pederson on August 11, 2009
Have you ever seen anybody survive a serious accident, or a violent crime, and come out completely changed? Or maybe a soldier who’s just returned from the tour of duty seems constantly troubled? This person may be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD). This is a kind of anxiety disorder which usually develops in a person who has been exposed to a traumatic event, usually one which causes physical losses, or the loss of those around. The trauma could also be from witnessing or being close to someone’s death, serious injury, threat to life or even from a threat to one’s physical or emotional integrity.

People suffering from this are usually very sensitive to normal situations, and tend to avoid people and places that they were familiar with.

Posttraumatic stress was first diagnosed in war veterans, and is even now seen in our soldiers returning from combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. It is also commonly seen in rape victims. Effects of PTSD on young children can be particularly devastating. According to some estimates, 7% to 8% of all people in the US will suffer from PTSD.

If someone close to you has gone thru a traumatic experience, keep a close eye out for post traumatic stress disorder symptoms. Mental health specialists classify PTSD symptoms into three groups.

  • Recurrent episodes of re-experiencing the traumatic event. For instance, nightmares, troublesome memories, flashbacks caused by reminders of the events, or reliving the event.

  • Avoidance to the extremes, where it may almost reach a point of having a phobia of places, people and experiences that may remind one of the trauma. There may also be a general numbing of emotions.

  • Chronic signs of hyperarousal. These include sleep problems, irritability, anger, poor concentration, blank patches in memory and hypersensitivity to one’s surroundings.

Treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder includes psychological and medical treatment. Patients are made aware about PTSD, and taught their problem comes from trauma, and not physical or mental weakness. People are also taught to cope with PTSD and the related problems that come with it, like managing anger.

Recently, Yoga has also been found to help those suffering from PTSD. Yoga has great healing powers, and helps practitioners to get in touch with their inner feelings. Many people suffering from PTSD have been taught Hatha Yoga, and they claim that it helps them in feeling grounded, and accepting the present. The aim of yoga is to give the practitioner an awareness of his or her body and mind, and on the path to this awareness, one feels calmer and is more accepting of the past. Many people experience rushes of emotion during some yogic positions, and this may help cleanse the mental system. The good thing about yoga is that it has no negative effects, and when practiced under a good teacher, will always give positive benefits.
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